What is in the new contract?

Under the proposed deal, Saturdays and Sundays would attract premium pay if doctors – the vast majority of whom are expected to – work seven or more weekends in a year.

Doctors would receive a percentage of their annual salary for working these weekends – ranging from 3% for working one weekend in seven to up to 10% if they work one weekend in two.

Any night shift would also result in an enhanced pay rate of 37% for all the hours worked.

The deal also set out payment for doctors who are on call, and agreed a basic pay increase of between 10% and 11%

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: ‘It is extremely disappointing that junior doctors have voted against this contract, which was agreed with and endorsed by the leader of the BMA junior doctors’ committee and supported by senior NHS leaders.’

The move will come as a blow to the British Medical Association (BMA), whose junior doctor lead had urged doctors to accept the deal as the best settlement they may get.

Dr Johann Malawana, chairman of the junior doctors’ committee, resigned from his post as the results were announced but added it was vital the contract had the confidence of the profession.